Albert Taylor recalls responding to a grass fire in the spring of 1990, shortly after he joined the Warman Fire Department.
“It was just outside of town on the southwest edge of Warman,” said Taylor in an interview on Tuesday, April 28. “It was about where Prairie Oasis Park is located now. Warman was a lot smaller place in those days.”
Taylor said firefighters spent at least two hours fighting the blaze.
“It was a good way to get a taste of what the job entailed,” said Taylor. “I remember climbing on the back of the old open fire truck and holding on to a railing as we drove to the scene. That truck had character, for sure.”
Taylor retired in mid-April after three decades with the Warman Fire Department, now known as Warman Fire Rescue (WFR). He was honoured by his peers in the department as Firefighter of the Year twice, in 2005 and 2008.
“I’m glad to step away, because I think it’s definitely time,” said Taylor. “But I will miss the adrenaline rush of responding to the calls; and also the tremendous camaraderie and the sense of family that you have with your fellow firefighters. Everyone has your back and you can always count on them no matter what.”
Taylor said he decided to volunteer with the Warman Fire Department in 1990 because they needed more people.
“I was at work one day at Warman Elementary School and there was a house fire nearby,” he said. “I watched them respond, and they were busy all day long, going back and forth between the hall and the fire scene.
“I realized they needed more people. And since I worked right in town I thought I should step up. So I talked to the guys and they said, ‘yeah, absolutely, we could use you.’
“In those days the training wasn’t as intense as it is now. I remember one time we were supposed to train on the self-contained breathing apparatus on a Wednesday evening.
“But there was a fire on the Monday, two days before training night; so my first experience with a self-contained breathing apparatus was during the fire. I just strapped it on and went in. Luckily I had a little experience with scuba diving tanks, so I did okay.”
Taylor said he’ll miss the annual bicycle rodeos the fire department sets up every spring (except for this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic) with elementary school students. He was involved in those events because of his work at the school and his involvement with the fire department.
He and fellow WFR alumni Marlon Wall also handled a lot of tours of the Warman Fire Hall when it was first opened about 15 years ago.
Taylor said he’s proud to have served under current Fire Chief Russ Austin and former Fire Chief Gord Thompson.
“One thing I learned as a firefighter is how important it is to remain calm in bad situations,” said Taylor. “I’m not generally a calm person, but the training you get as a firefighter really allows you to do what you need to do when you’re called upon.”
Taylor said former Chief Thompson always ensured that fire department volunteers got the support they needed after traumatic incidents like fires and serious motor vehicle collisions, particularly when there was a death involved.
He said Thompson knew the family schedules for every member of the fire department.
“I remember getting a call on a Thursday night one time and there was a bad accident on Highway 11. We all got to the hall and jumped into the vehicles, and then on the radio I heard Gord say: ‘Al, what truck are you in?’ So I told him and he said, ‘okay that truck is not allowed on the scene.’
“The guy I was with in the truck asked, ‘Why not?’ but Gord didn’t answer. A little while later, Gord came back on the radio and said, ‘okay, you guys can come.’ The reason was that Gord knew my wife Nancy’s schedule, and she would have been heading home from Saskatoon after work about that time. He wanted to make sure it wasn’t her involved in the crash before he let me come.”
Taylor said there were many scenes he’d prefer to forget, but will never be able to.
“Gord never cared what time of the day or night it was,” said Taylor. “He always said, if you need to talk, just phone and we’ll talk it through. He always ensured everyone stayed healthy and safe. It’s the same way there today.”
Taylor said he’s relieved in many ways to be hanging up his helmet, but admits to some mixed feelings.
“I’ll miss the people I worked with for so many years,” said Taylor. “They’re like family.”